This invention relates to a tampon for insertion into a body cavity to absorb and contain a largely fluid discharge. This invention especially relates to tampons used to contain menstrual flow.
Tampons are well known devices to absorb the flow of body excreta, particularly menstrual fluids. The desired features of a tampon are a large initial and total capacity for fluids, easy and comfortable insertion and withdrawal, and means to warn of the need to replace the tampon. These requirements for a tampon are widely known and sought after, but are not easily met.
Prior tampons have several disadvantages. They do not provide any signal to indicate the need to replace the tampon just before it is saturated. The lack of such a signal worries the user and encourages her to replace the tampon long before saturation is approached. In prior tampons the absorbent material has not been concentrated at the end of the tampon which is inserted furthest into the vagina. In fact, the art teaches that folded tampons should be positioned in the vagina with the folded portion furthest from the uterus, so that the absorbent material is not concentrated at the source of menstrual fluid.
Prior tampons also are not built to provide a high total absorbency and wicking rate while avoiding any tendency to slough material from the tampon upon withdrawal. A tampon constructed of loose or unconfined fibers or strands can lose fibers and the fibers can become disarranged and spread out during insertion or wear of the tampon. Thus, a tampon made of loose or unconfined fibers has a poor wicking rate because the capillary spaces are too large. If the tampon is tightly bound together to prevent sloughing, for example by sheathing it in a woven mesh, the fibers can become too confined, collapsing the capillary spaces between the fibers and thus reducing total absorbency. In an optimized absorbent structure, the needs to promote wicking and absorbency and prevent sloughing are balanced to form a moderately compressed structure which does not tend to slough off fibers or other structures.